CLAUDE_CODE_FORWARD_SUBAGENT_TEXT

Updated October 13, 2026 by Alex Sorokoletov

CLAUDE_CODE_FORWARD_SUBAGENT_TEXT is a Claude Code environment variable: Includes subagent text and thinking in stream-json output, paired with a new --forward-subagent-text flag. Shipped in v2.1.211 (npm 2026-07-15) and the one variable in this window the changelog names — aimed at SDK and automation consumers that need visibility into delegated work. Added between v2.1.143 and v2.1.212 and still present in v2.1.294. It is listed in the official reference.

How to set it

For one session, export it in the shell that starts Claude Code:

export CLAUDE_CODE_FORWARD_SUBAGENT_TEXT=<value>
claude

To apply it to every session, add it to the env object of a settings file:

// ~/.claude/settings.json
{
  "env": {
    "CLAUDE_CODE_FORWARD_SUBAGENT_TEXT": "<value>"
  }
}

Release notes that mention it

• claude-code-env-vars-v2-1-212

Related variables

• CLAUDE_CODE_ENABLE_APPEND_SUBAGENT_PROMPT: Authorizes SDK callers to append a custom string to a subagent's system prompt via options.appendSubagentSystemPrompt.
• CLAUDE_CODE_FORK_SUBAGENT: Changelog-confirmed[1]: set to 1 to run subagents as forked processes (v2.1.117 on external builds, v2.1.121 extended to non-interactive SDK/-p sessions).
• CLAUDE_CODE_MAX_SUBAGENT_SPAWN_DEPTH: Nesting-depth cap on delegation, default 1 — subagents no longer spawn their own subagents, and the team roster stays flat.
• CLAUDE_CODE_SUBAGENT_MODEL: Force a specific model for sub-agent operations.
• CLAUDE_CODE_SUBAGENT_MODEL_FORCE
• CLAUDE_CODE_SUBAGENT_MODELU: The trailing-U variant flagged as a likely typo in v2.1.84 has been removed.
• CLAUDE_CODE_SUBAGENT_PROMPT_CACHE_TTL
• CLAUDE_SUBAGENT_BG_SHELL_MAX_MS: Time cap for shell commands run by background subagents.

Frequently asked questions

All variables, searchable: Claude Code environment variables.